


Branwen-Rose (Logan AU)

by FandomObsessedGirl



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/M, Logan AU, Qrow is Ruby's father
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-11-23 08:53:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11399232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomObsessedGirl/pseuds/FandomObsessedGirl
Summary: Salem has played her first hand.  Beacon is gone, Haven too, with only Atlas and Shade remaining to defend the world from the Queen of Darkness.It's been nearly twenty years since Team STRQ left Beacon and nearly twelve since Qrow last saw Summer.  But when she arrives asking for his help to protect another young SEW, he really can't say no to her.  He never could.Logan AU.  Very AU.





	1. Prologue

Prologue

The night Beacon Academy fell was one that would haunt Vale for many nights to come.  The White Fang came and with them they brought the Grimm.  There were hopeful whispers that the Headmaster had escaped and was rallying to fight back, but nearly ten years later it seemed it would not be the case.

Barely a year after the first academy fell, Haven did too.  Some said an insider had betrayed the school, handed it over to a Queen of Darkness who lurked somewhere in the world of a Remnant.  These rumours were often dismissed as superstitious nonsense, but the world was very much scared.

Only the frosty militant Atlas and the more laissez-faire Shade remained of the once four great academies.  

Of course it was only a matter of time before Atlas closed the borders for good.

No-one in, no-one out.  

With even the cargo of the Schnee Dust Company being regulated dust supplies were decreasing in the world, prices were spiking and more people than ever were left vulnerable to the inevitable Grimm attacks that plagued the world.  Huntsmen and Huntresses were hard to come by, Huntsmen and Huntresses that actually worked in the best interest of the populous were even rarer.  

It seemed the time of Heroes and Heroines was at its end.


	2. Chapter 1: Qrow Branwen

Chapter 1

He'd been there when Beacon had fallen.  What had intially been a casual mission report to the Headmaster had turned into an apocalyptic nightmare within less than a fortnight.  In hinsight they should have known, _he_ should have known.

But then hindsight was a wonderful thing.

He has fought on the streets trying to evacuate as many people as possible before the tower collapsed.  Then it was all he could do to pull his former mentor from the wreckage and clear out themselves knowing that they could have done better, should have done better.  But it was too late for that now.

They almost hadn't made it.  A horde had prevented their escape and in what could have very well been his last seconds he thought of _her_.  

Her smile, her laugh, her unique eyes.

Knowing that she was out there somewhere.  And how he should have done better for her too.  He had sworn that should be live he would try and find her again.  To apologise, to say all the things he should have said the first time around.

But when they lived, he couldn't keep his vow.

He had gone to her old home to find it empty.  Cold.  Devoid of all life.  And he hadn't the will or strength to pursue his search for her.  He wondered if she was happy.

~~~~

Qrow sighed and gave the sun as hard a glare as he could muster.  How was this the same fucking Sun that shone on the cold of Atlas?  Stupid sun, stupid desert.   How did the people of Vacuo cope?

There had been a time when setting foot in Atlas for him would be rarer than finding a snow flurry in the desert.  But honestly now he would have preferred Atlas to this desert wasteland.  Pity that little jumped up General Ironwood had sealed the border.

Clearly it didn't matter that at one time they had been colleagues.  They had never been friends, and clearly Ironwood didn't believe Qrow when he had said that Ozpin was alive.  He assumed just like everyone else that the Headmaster was dead with Beacon Academy- once one of the most beautiful places he had even been too reduced to a smoking Grimm infested ruin.

His Huntsman days were over too.  Now he would just drive.  Anyone, anywhere just so long as he got paid and it didn't cause him any trouble.  Ozpin always seemed ... disappointed.  As though Qrow were failing in some great way- and oh yeah, he was, no questioning it.  But he was trying and that was all he could do.

Qrow glanced at the car and sniffed.  People might not have had a lot of money but there were still some rich imbeciles willing to waste some lien on a ride in a limo just to flaunt to the less fortunate.  It was ironic then wasn't it, that their driver was the most misfortunate man on the goddamn planet.  He shook his head and got behind the wheel.

There was a flask in the compartment full of cheap whiskey.  He never drank on the job, but he always drank after.

And the voice that chastised him wasn't his own, or even the reprimanding tone of his former mentor- currently bedridden and cared for by another ex-Hunter- but a more effeminate voice that had haunted him since the day he left for good.  Drinking shut her out.  He didn't know if she was alive or dead and he didn't want to know.  He could only hope she was out there safe and happy and away from him and his stupid Semblance.

~~~~

It was the early hours of the morning when asleep, and partially inebriated, that Qrow was woken up to the sound of loud voices and the car suddenly moving harshly.  His body ached from sleeping in the car, his head hurt worse from drinking, but he was able to get the door open and half-stagger round to see just what the fuck was going on.

Four men, the epitome of Vacuo's reputation as the vulgar Kingdom, were huddled round the car.  They were clearly as drunk as he was; two held half finished beer bottles, the third was leaning against the car and the fourth, crouched down was struggling to remain balanced.

It took a couple of seconds for what they were actually doing to register in Qrow's alcohol fogged mind.

"Ah, Guys."

No answer as they continued to mutter, laugh raucously and attempt to steal the tires off the car.

"Those are chrome plated," he said louder, and this time they did hear him, "you can't strip those."

There was some more laughter, if a little uneasier this time.  

"Look at this guy," one of them snorted as Qrow was forced to lean against the car, gritting his teeth to try and clear his head.  

"Just deal with it, he's just some other wash up," the guy unscrewing the tire huffed, he was the only one who hadn't moved when Qrow announced his presence.

Qrow barely had time to feel offended by the comment before one of the other three whipped out a gun and fired.  Thank the Gods for his Aura that shielded him from the shot but he was still sent flying from the power of the shot smacking into him.

There was more raucous laughter as he wheezed from the blow, gritting his teeth.  His eyes had already started to glow a furious red.  This wasn't the time to be the nice guy.  He'd given them a fair warning.

The men were so busy laughing about how they had 'dealt with him' that they didn't see him get to his feet and open the boot.  His scythe was still there from years ago, used on,y very rarely, but this seemed to be one of those situations.

As he stormed back towards them, one of the men caught sight of him mid-laugh.  His yellow eyes comically widened and flickered to the weapon in Qrow's hand.

"Axel!" he hissed to the man unscrewing the tire.

"Shut up."

"Axel!"

"I said shut the fuck up okay?  So shut it!"

Another guy had seen him now as Qrow moved forward, deliberately slowly, hoping to warn them off.

"Hey, Axel-"

"Fuck off, Copper!"

"That guy-"

Axel looked up and saw the weapon clutched in Qrow's hands.  He didn't seem particularly fazed.

"He's just a wash up, alright?  Look at him- he's pissed.  You're scared of a little sword? We stole all our weapons, he probably stole that too.  I bet he doesn't even know how to fucking use it."

"You wanna bet?" Qrow snapped, patience finally gone as he clicked the trigger for the weapon extending it into its full broadsword length.

"Shit!" one of the men swore.

And they opened fire.  Though out of practise and inebriated, Qrow was still a fighter leagues better than them.  He deflected the majority of the shots, only missing a couple which he put down to his drunken state, and advanced reminding himself that these guys didn't have auras like he did.

"Just get him!" the one- Axel- shouted pulling out a small knife from somewhere in his coat.

Qrow glowered as one of the men swung a knife at his face.  His broadsword caught the underside of the man's leg, the burst of blood informing him a major artery had been severed.  The man screamed as Qrow advanced on the second man- Copper?- who looked much less cocky than he had been.

He fared better than his friend.  A stab at Qrow's face was quickly blocked, the third man tried to strike him from behind as Axel continued hastily trying to detatch at least one tire.  Another pull of the trigger extended the broadsword into its true scythe form.  Heads rolled, quite literally, over the sand still hot despite the chill of the night.  

"Fuck!" he shouted seeing his friends' cleanly sliced remains.

His orange eyes were wide with terror but also rage.

"Shit!" he snarled and grabbed the gun from the hand of his fallen friend.

He fired three times as Qrow advanced blocking each blow, save one, that finally punctured his Aura.  At this Axel seemed to grow more confident and lunged back into the fray.  He was nimbler than Qrow anticipated and managed to land a couple of solid punches to Qrow's stomach and a swift slice to his side with the knife before the former Huntsman was able to bring his scythe with crushing force down upon the man's head.

He wiped the blood from his eyes, adding their faces to the collection that still haunted his dreams.  They were younger than he expected- one was barley an adult, still a teenager who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  

Just his luck, huh?

Qrow sheathed the broadsword and threw it into the backseat before getting behind the steering wheel and driving away before the limited law enforcement that Vacuo actually had arrived on the scene.


	3. Chapter 2: Summer Rose

Chapter 2

Qrow stood watching the funeral he had just dropped someone off to.  A liquor bottle in one hand, other hand resting against the tree.  The night before had been all loud music and drunken men and women on various Hen dos and Bachelor Parties that had left a still distinct ringing in his ear.  Yeah, he felt he deserved the drink.  Especially since he now had to deal with the rain and readjust to the cooler climate of Vale.

"Qrow?"

The voice he heard, he intially passed off as the same one to haunt his every wake.  It was only when it spoke again that he realised it was true.

"Stilts?"

He turned sharply, so hard his neck almost got whiplash.  But it was worth it just to see her face again.

How many years had it been? 11 and six months?  Almost 12? Too long.  Far too long.  

She was still as beautiful as ever, though time and circumstance seemed to have been only marginally better for her than for him.  But just seeing her here was enough to set his heart off like a ticker tape and for the warmest smile he'd given in years to spread over his face.

"Summer?"

Her smile was just as sweet and kind as it had ever been.  His eyes roamed over every inch of her face, older than last he'd seen.  Her hair was longer, hanging to her mid back, her eyes a little duller in colour, her face and figure a little thinner.  But the colour in her eyes returned as she smiled.

His body was already in motion to walk forwards, to wrap his arms around her slight frame and hug her tight against him.  Her own arms wrapped around him and they stood for a moment.

Just for a second Qrow could imagine they were back in Beacon, in some secluded spot where no-one else would see them and they could just revel in the other.  But it was a long time ago and the time of innocence had long since past.  And though he longed to keep her close, he knew he couldn't.

"Summer..." he said warningly.

There was a sigh that escaped her lips but she broke the embrace.  His heart sagged a little with the disappointment but he was used to it by now.  She made to say something but the words seemed to falter leaving an awkward hush hanging in the air between them.  

"How've you been?" he had always been the one to break the silence when it came between them before they had been an item.  It seemed it was he who would have to do so after that time had ended as well.  Memories of the last time he saw her came back to him as he gazed at her.

She shrugged indefinitely.

_Qrow!_

"Not bad, not good... You?"

He returned her shrug.

_I'm sorry, but I couldn't live with myself if... if..._

"Much the same."

"Still a Huntsman?"

_If what?  Qrow, please, you're blowing this out of proportion..._

He gave a small embarrassed chuckle and broke eye contact from her.

"Er... no.  Not any more."

"I take it you can still fight with that ridiculous scythe of yours though."

_If something happened to you!_

Her tone sounded playful and as though she were just passing casual conversation but Qrow sensed something was off.  There was a nervous edge to her words, a need for assurance.

"Yeah...?" he stretched the word out into a question, his eyes narrowed.

_I'm not saying this because I don't care but because I do._

Something was definitely wrong.  Summer glanced back towards a car parked a little way off- her car he presumed- before returning her gaze back to his.

"Is everything okay?" he asked and she sighed giving a small shake of her head.

He picked out the worry lines that creased her brow and the corners of her eyes.  The way she chewed her lip with uncertainty. 

_I love you, I always will, but I won't let you be hurt because of me!_

"Look," she said, "if I text you an address later tonight, please will you come?"

_I can't stay with you, I'm sorry._

Qrow gave a nod before he could stop himself.  He'd never been able to say no to her, to refuse her.  A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you."

And like that she was gone making her way back to her car.  The shapeshifter wanted to call after her but restrained himself.  It was him after all who wanted her to stay away to keep her safe.  

"Hey driver!"

His attention was reluctantly called back to the funeral party.  His passenger, a small woman with thin lips, green eyes and an attitude that made him want to scream was waiting impatiently.  Qrow sighed and made his way back towards the limousine holding the umbrella for his irritating passenger.

"Who was that?" she demanded with a scowl.

 _None of your fucking business_ , he thought.

"I don't know, just some lady," he lied.

That seemed to satisfy her.  She ducked into the limo and he watched as Summer's car drove past.  For a second he thought he saw her peeking out of the rear window but that would be impossible.  He shook his head and moved round to the front of the car.

~~~~

' _The Atlesian Council voted today against allowing refugees from Vale into its Kingdom_ ,' came the ever peppy voice of Lisa Lavender over the car radio, ' _it's been five years since Beacon Academy fell and Grimm numbers in the main Kingdom have reached critical levels.  With the few Hunters left in Remnant, the Vale Council has chosen evacuation over retaliation and has called for aid from other Kingdoms.'_

Qrow sighed bitterly as he listened.  In the backseat some women, quite drunk by this point in the evening, were cackling madly and listening to their own music.  There had still been no word from Summer and the news was just as depressing as ever.

' _In other news, it had been confirmed by inside sources that Atlas Academy is no longer training Hunters but rather specialist soldiers.  This comes in lieu of an Atlesian Council Decree proposed by General James Ironwood to turn the Academy that once trained a new generation of Hunters and Huntresses-_ "

"Hey, driver!" one of the women yelled, her voice slurred with alcohol, her friends laughing hysterically as she flashed her breasts at him.

Qrow shook his head with disbelief, though there was a small smirk on his lips.

'- _now being a military school.  According to a whistle blower, this has been the case for the past four years.  Over to Elle Kane_ -'

By this point Qrow had stopped listening.  He had always had a deep seated dislike towards Ironwood, but the man clearly hadn't learned the error of his militancy from both the falls of Beacon and Haven respectively.  When he had been gathering information in Remnant, he had seen the things Salem had created, the people she had hired, a few Atlas ships wouldn't scare them off.

Clearly the message hadn't sunk into Ironwood's thick metal skull yet.

~~~~

He had one quick stop to make in Vacuo before returning back to 'home'.  The hospital.  Ozpin wasn't getting any better and he needed something to stop those fucking seizures.  

He'd picked up the package from the Faunus doctor- a man with a pair of horse's ears named Chiron- and gotten back in the car when he heard the back door open.

"You need to pay in advance," he said, turning around, "this ain't a cab ride pal-"

The rest of the sentence paused as he looked into the masked face of a very famous individual from the news.  Red hair, black suit, White Fang mask that only covered half of his face...

One Adam Taurus sat in the back seat, gloved hands pressed together and a smirk on his face.

"Qrow Branwen," he whistled lowly and impressed.

"The fuck do you want?"

Qrow didn't want any trouble.  The let thing he needed for Ozpin was the White Fang bastards coming after them, it was hard enough hiding him as it was.  Adam seemed merely amused by the profanity.

"Didn't take you for a junkie," he remarked, nodding to the bag in Qrow's hand, "or maybe they're for someone else, right?" Qrow didn't answer.  "I heard you might be in Atlas, that you somehow managed to get in before the borders closed, but then some of my men found a few corpses here in Vacuo."

Involuntarily, Qrow's face twitched with irritation.  This little punk was really getting on his nerves.

"Could've been any random attack, but the police autopsy- I know, they have law enforcement out here, isn't it a funny concept?- noted that two were missing heads, the other his leg... the other one cut clean in two.  And that a curved blade had been used."  His smirk grew.  "So I'm thinking, it must have been a pretty big curved blade to cut a man in two from skull to pelvis.  A scythe then.  And you-" he pointed a gloved finger in the shapeshifter's face- are the only recorded scythe weilder of this generation.  Also the tyre tracks belong to a 24 Chrysler..." he stretched his arms wide, "and _this_ is a 24 Chrysler."

There was a long pause.

"So?" Qrow asked coldly, "they were humans, you hate humans."  His eyes began to glow with anger.  "So I'm going to repeat my question; the fuck do you want?"

Adam raised his hands in mock surrender, unfazed.

"No need to get so angsty, Branwen, let's try to be reasonable."  The smirk faded and the Faunus' tone became interrogative.  "Has she found you yet?"

"Who?" Qrow asked, feeling a worrying knot tie in his stomach.

"Someone you know very well, Branwen.  I believe she was a former teammate of yours- one Summer Rose."

Qrow kept his expression neutral but his brain was racing a mile a minute.  The blood was roaring in his ears.  Somehow Summer had become mixed up in the fight against Salem, was a target of Salem, and that never boded well.  

"I haven't seen her in twelve years," he lied.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know I'm not looking for you Branwen, but for her.  Thought she might have come to find you.  I've got new orders from the Lady herself."  He tilted his head.  "You're sure you haven't seen her?  I'm sure you remember what she looks like; Silver Eyes, red tipped hair-"

"I said I haven't seen her in twelve years," Qrow snapped, "now get the fuck out of the car."

Adam merely smirked.

"Let's try to be friends here."  He passed a small piece of card over to him.  "Here's my scroll number, if she gets in touch... you know what to do."

Qrow glared.  He would never betray Summer.  There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of him handing her over to this sick fucker or anyone else tied to Salem.  He could only hope that he could help her in time.

Adam opened the door and stepped out.  But before he left he stuck his head back in and grinned.

"By the way, I know someone who's a big fan."

And with that he shut the door and sauntered off.  Qrow glared down at the tiny piece of card and swore.

"Fuck.  Fuck!  Fuck! Fuck!" he ranted.

 _Gods, Shortstack_ , he thought as his hands shakily started the ignition, _what's happening to you?_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Qrow grabbed his scroll the second he arrived back at 'home'. He dialled the number and prayed, this had always been the plan- to get into Atlas where, he begrudgingly admitted it was safer. Perhaps when Ironwood saw Ozpin was indeed still alive he would reconsider some of his actions.

" _Qrow?_ " Ironwood's voice asked, both cold and surprised.

"I need you to let us into Atlas now."

" _What? Qrow, that's impossible. I'm breaking every rule letting you in at all. We agreed: the end of next month_."

"Jimmy, _please_. The situation's desperate! We've got problems here-"

" _I hope you're not talking about Salem here._ " Qrow bit his tongue. " _Because if you've got any of her lot onto you, there's no way I can let you in. You swore that you were staying out of things. If she finds out I'm harbouring people she wants in Atlas do you really think she'll continue to leave us alone?_ "

"You think _apathy_ is what's saving you?!"

" _I have a duty of care to the people of Atlas, Qrow. Now tell me; is Salem after you?_ "

"No."

_Not yet_.

"But I need to get into Atlas _now_ , Jimmy."

There was a pause and Qrow held his breath. Perhaps Ironwood was considering it. Please, he prayed. There was still a chance to get Ozpin to the safety of Atlas and Summer too. He didn't give a fuck about Ironwood's misguided belief that apathy was the solution, he was going to get Summer into Atlas too.  Ozpin needed Atlas' medicines and it was no doubt now the safest Kingdom.

" _I can get you in within this mont_ h," Ironwood said at last, and Qrow breathed out a sigh of relief. " _But no sooner than a fortnight's time. Got it?_ "

"Yes, thank you, James," Qrow said sincerely and the scroll clicked dead in his hands.

He spotted Albi Hunter-Sol, a large hat on his head, standing near the doorway. He was somewhat a regular pain in Qrow's ass. But the man was a skilled medic and trapper and Qrow owed him a couple of favours.

Inside, he prepared for Albi to let loose another tongue lashing. The Faunus tossed the hat aside revealing his prominent grey wolf ears twitching agitatedly.

"I can't keep doing this," he snapped in the thick Eastern accent that he had.

"You can and you will," Qrow glared, eyes flashing, "it's just a bad day."

"They're all bad days." Qrow tossed him the paper bag of medicine and Albi began rooting through it. "He needed this six hours ago." He pulled out the one container Qrow had managed to obtain. "Is this it? This won't even last the _week_."

"I've had a rough few nights okay," Qrow said quietly, not wanting to hear anything the wiry little Faunus had to say.

"Oh you've had a rough night? Poor you." The sarcasm practically dripped off of Albi's tongue and another red eyed glare was sent his way. There was a pause. "His time perceptions are getting worse, he keeps saying he sees someone, he keeps talking about events in the past or ones in the future. He predicted I'd drop that plate-" he jerked a thumb to a carrier bag sat on the table. "And he keeps mumbling about deaths. I can't take anymore of this."

"That's what those are for," Qrow sighed snatching the bag and making his way outside.

Home for Qrow was a small abandoned warehouse in the middle of the desert and a rust bucket silo just next to it. He and Albi slept in the warehouse, and Ozpin stayed in the silo. Qrow hoped to get him proper treatment in Atlas where the technology was still booming. The Fall of Beacon had damaged his old mentor both physically and mentally, he sighed as he imagined Summer's face when she would see what had become of their old Headmaster.

++++

_The Fall was sudden and unexpected. Qrow had been sleeping when the sirens went off and the world began to end._

_A Level Ten Grimm attack was nothing to joke about. By the time he had even made it outside Atlas ships were falling from the skies crushing the city below. Ozpin had remained at Beacon Tower, sworn to defend it from Salem, sending Qrow, Glynda, Oobleck and Port down to fight in the streets and aid the evacuation._

_Qrow had seen things to haunt his dreams before, but the fall was nothing like he'd ever seen. Buildings were crushed as Goliaths trampled the school grounds, the Atlesian air fleet moved to protect the city over the school where Qrow returned to help the students._

_Midway through the attack and the tower had fallen with Ozpin still inside._

++++

A fractured spinal chord, severed leg tendons and scars both physically and mentally.

An Aura healer could help cure some damage, but Ozpin would never walk properly or unaided again. Qrow himself sported a jagged scar from hairline to right ear courtesy of an Alpha he'd gone toe to toe with. It was nothing compared to Ozpin.

For it wasn't just the physical injuries, but the mental ones that plagued him. His Semblance had gone haywire, his seizures could be deadly as time was shaken around a person and he mumbled about all sorts of things. Past events, present events... the medicine was to stop him seeing the future events.

"And Team YLLW of Beacon win the round!" Ozpin was saying as he whizzed around in that electrical wheelchair of his that Qrow regretted buying, "Next to the ad break... buy dust from the SDC 10% discount on all products this Saturday-!"

"Hey, Oz," Qrow greeted as if they were back in Beacon.

Ozpin halted the wheelchair and peered up at him curiously with green eyes as if he wasn't seeing him clearly.

"Who are you?"

Qrow sighed. This was a regular occurrence these days.

"You know who I am."

A pause.

"You're the man who puts me to sleep." Then he went whizzing off round the room again whilst Qrow sighed and began unpacking the medicine bag.  It his slightly delirious state, and with Qrow's ever present Semblance, it was only a matter of time before the wheelchair clipped the bed frame and tipped on its side.  Qrow jumped to help too late to stop the first effects of the seizure from hitting him.  The clock hands whizzed round, twisting backwards and forwards at a rapid pace, the whole room shook, and a pulse beat on the brain as his former mentor continued to writhe.  

Gritting his teeth, Qrow managed to grab the sedative and stick it though Oz's shirt.  The room stopped shaking and Qrow dropped to the ground exhausted.

He helped Oz to stand up shakily and managed to make it to sit on the bed. Qrow held out the pills to him. His former Headmaster looked at the pills as though Qrow had offered him arsenic.

"Come on Oz, just take the damn pills."

"What are they?" he asked with the wariness of one approaching a sleeping tiger.

"You know what these are, they help with your seizures." He gave a smirk. "Go on, blow on them and get them down you."

Oz gave him a glare but took them. Qrow sighed and ran a hand through his feathery hair.

"I saw Summer whilst in Vale."

Oz's head snapped to look at him.

"Summer Rose..."

"Yeah-"

But he was gone now.

"... Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen and Qrow Branwen; The four of you collected the White Rook piece and henceforth will work together as Team STRQ... led by..."

"Summer Rose," Qrow finished quietly.

Ozpin nodded absently.

"Yes, that's right." Then he was back again. "Why didn't she come back with you?"

"She's got a life of her own away from me, probably," Qrow said, half hoping this was true, "it's for the best."

"Mmm," Ozpin said unconvincingly. Another pause. "Is it really?"

"Oz, I've talked about this," Qrow groaned, resting his head in his hands, "my Semblance fucks people over. It's hurt people. I don't want _her_ to be hurt too."

"Personally I think you hurt her when you pushed her away."

Ouch.  Qrow gave him a hard look, Oz returned it- unwavering, unchallenged.  Then he spoke again.

"You're going away again, aren't you?"

"Yes," Qrow said slowly.

"Leaving me alone here with that Faunus-"

"Oz-"

"He doesn't listen to me, I know what I saw.  I saw a Huntress, a new one."

"The Academies are kaput, Oz," Qrow reminded him with a weary tone, "Beacon's gone, Mistral's gone, Atlas is a military school and Vacuo is, well, Vacuo."  He shrugged.  "There hasn't been a new properly trained Huntress or Huntsman in years."  He sighed seeing Ozpin still hadn't swallowed the medication.  "Take the damn pills, Oz."

"You're quite a disappointment, you know," Oz said, cuttingly.

Qrow felt cold internally but said nothing.  He just walked back to the table and snatched up the paper bag.

"When you came to Beacon all those years ago, you were a bandit child just coming here to get training so you could wipe out villages with your people with better skill."  Still Qrow said nothing.  "I gave you a team, a family, friends."

"Yeah, well, they're gone now," Qrow snapped, "STRQ's scattered, and the others?" He shook his head.  "They're gone too."

~~~~~

Albi had a fresh new tongue lashing prepared as soon as Qrow stepped back inside and out the paper bag on the table.

"I thought I was going to die."

"It lasted barely a minute," Qrow snapped.

"It felt a lot longer than a minute- for some reason you're not as affected as I am and I can tell you it _hurts_."  He picked the container out of the medicine bag and waved it in the shapeshifter's face.  "You need a higher dose."

"We don't have enough-"

"Don't lie!" Albi snapped, "I know you've got money hidden away."

"Money to help set us up away from here."

"Oho _us_?' Albi scoffed.  "You and him maybe.  I know what you're planning, you're trying to get into Atlas."  He pointed to his wolf ears angrily.  "Do you know how they treat Faunus up there?  I won't last five minutes on that lump of ice.  And I found this in your jacket." He held up a small silver bullet and Qrow lunged to snatch it.  Albi yanked it out of grabbing distance smugly and gave it a quick sniff.  "Titanium and Carbon alloy.  Hints of electrolytes and a definite biological component- this is an APB." He raised an eyebrow.  "If you're going to blow your brains out can you do it away from here, I just mopped these floors."

Qrow glared at him.  Albi's Semblance of tracking and his heightened senses were useful in a crisis but the Faunus could be a right pain.  He managed to snatch the bullet from Albi's sweaty, tanned hand and repocketed it.

"Where did you even get an Aura Penetration Bullet?" Albi demanded, "manufacturers are banned from making them- inhumane."

"I don't need this shit," Qrow growled reaching for his hip flask.

"Fine."  Albi sat down in the chair next to him and gave him a green eyed glare.  "Three years ago you practically begged me for my help and Gods knows I've tried!  So what should we talk about, Branwen?  The fact that you're not sleeping?"

"Enough," Qrow warned quietly, it was unheeded.

"The extra booze?  I know you've always been a drinker but this is ridiculous."

"I said _enough_."

"Or the fights you're getting into?  The fresh wounds?  Blood in your clothing?  You might have an Aura but you do know you're not invincible in a fight?  Or do you know?  Just waiting to be snuffed out, eh?"

"I said _**ENOUGH!**_ " Qrow roared and swept his arm out.  The three mugs on the table slid off and smashed against the floor.  

Albi winced under the power radiating from the glowing heat of the shapeshifter's burning red eyes.  There was no point in trying to argue anymore; the Branwen may need his help to care for Beacon's former Headmaster but Albi knew that Qrow would more than likely snap his neck if he pressed his point home any further.  

"Fine." He raised his hands in surrender and moved away leaving Qrow to seethe at the small table.

A moment later and his scroll chimed with a text alert.  Sighing, Qrow looked at it and immediately straightened to attention.

' **Limo ride, 2 Passengers, Gaia Inn.  Notes: Hi, Stilts.'**

He smiled a little at the use of his old nickname.  There was an address but he frowned looking at the number 2 for passengers.  His heart sunk a little knowing the very likely possibility- that she had moved on and the second passenger was her new partner, boyfriend, or worse, husband.  

He could hardly be disappointed though.

It was him after all who had warned her to stay away from him and his Semblance.  Swallowing down the fresh pain in his chest, he walked back outside and made his way to the car.

 


	5. chapter 4

Chapter 5

The Gaia Inn was an Inn coasting the borders of Vale and Vacuo falling into the former Kingdom barely. By the time Qrow reached the Inn, night had fallen over the village, and he couldn't see anyone walking around. A small figure was throwing and catching a ball, bouncing it off of the wall of the Inn, illuminated in the headlights, Qrow picked out short dark hair and a red cloak round her shoulders.

For half a moment he thought it was Summer.

But her hair was too short, her cloak was red not white. And he could now see Summer moving towards the car.

He switched off the engine and stepped out to greet her, the other girl moving away and huddling near the wall of the Inn. Qrow paid her no mind for the time being focusing instead on the woman heading towards him, a warm smile on his face.

"Hi," he greeted.

"Hey." Her smile warmed him in a way that he had sorely missed. "Thank you for coming."

"How could I not?" He replied with a smile taking the time to absorb her features once more.

The silver of her eyes glinted in the dark, her smile was soft and made them ever brighter. They were like two silver stars gazing up at him. He found his attention being drawn towards her lips, relaxed and tinged a light pink, feeling the desire to kiss her rise within him.

He wondered if she'd mind.

"Well I suppose I better tell you why I wanted to meet you and why I need your help," Summer said at last after a lengthy pause. She gestured with her arm for him to walk with her to a more secluded area.

Qrow glanced towards where the small figure was bunched by the wall, face hidden behind familiar black bangs but he could tell she was watching them.

"Do you want to move away from her?" he asked, gesturing.

"Hmm?" Summer frowned and then followed his gesture. Once she spotted who he was gesturing too she burst into a peal of amused laughter- the most beautiful sound he'd heard. "Oh no, no don't worry about Ruby, she's fine, she's with me." She turned to the figure. "Ruby, come here."

She reached out a hand and the woman in the red cloak shuffled forwards shyly. Qrow caught a glimpse of her face when she turned to look at him and froze. Her face was younger than he expected. She was little more than a child- could only be ten at most- but that wasn't what startled him. What startled him was the uncanny duplicity her face held to Summer's.

"Is she...?" he asked, eyes wide with shock as he glanced between the two women who could have been twins.

Summer nodded with a small smile and wrapped an arm round the shoulders of, well, her daughter. Qrow felt his heart sink a little as he began to wonder who the father could be.

"How old is she?"

After a slight hesitation Summer answered;

"Nine."

Qrow nodded sadly, mentally kicking himself. Ruby tilted her head curiously in a way that Qrow faintly recognised but couldn't place before she moved away and began throwing and catching the ball again.

"I'm not actively in the Resistance, hell, I've stayed out of it as much as I can," Summer explained in hushed tones, "six months ago, Salem suddenly turned her attention to trying to track me- us-" she gestured to Ruby. "- down." She sighed, blowing out a breath. "We've been on the run ever since." Qrow made to move an arm to bring her close to him in a sympathetic side hug but caught himself just in time. "With Oz and the Academies gone there's nowhere safe in Remnant... so I've been trying to get us into Atlas."

The irony was so great Qrow almost cheered. She too wanted to go to the icy Kingdom for safety like him and Oz.

"But the borders closed weeks ago, but I do have a plan!" She grinned at Qrow radiating her old teenage playfulness. "There's a ship leaving for Atlas in a fortnight, if I can at least get Ruby on board..." She turned to him, her playfulness becoming imploring. "Please, I'm asking you to help me. Side by side like the old days?"

Qrow smiled warmly at her.

"No need for you to go through all that trouble- I can get you into Atlas the safer and legal way."

Summer frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Qrow leant close to her.

"Jimmy's going to get me into the Kingdom... Oz is still alive."

Summer stared in disbelief.

"What?!"

Qrow hissed for her to keep her voice down but her shock was still present on her face. Hardly surprising.

"Really?!"

"Yeah." He smiled. "Look, Jimmy doesn't believe Oz is alive but he's giving me the benefit of the doubt here. I'm taking him to the Kingdom, I can take you and your daughter too, get you there safely."

Summer still looked shocked but a smile began to appear on her face.

"You'd do that...?"

"Of course," he promised, not noticing that he had taken her hand in his.

By the time he did notice, her fingers were curling and interlocking with his. Qrow hadn't noticed how close he had gotten to her, there was barely any space between them as they gazed at each other. Twelve years of separation melted away and they were together once more, partners in every sense of the word.

And would it really be the end of the world if he tilted his head down more to kiss her soft lips?

Every rational thought screamed yes, every irrational part of him screamed no. And the irrational was slowly winning out. Somewhere through the whirlwind daze in his brain, a part of him reminded him the reason he had left in the first place.

++++

_"So you're just going to leave?" her words should have sounded bitter, she should have resented him. It would have been easier._

_But they were quietly spoken, broken and pleading._

_And he couldn't bear to turn back around and meet her gaze for fear of what he'd see. No, he wanted to say, I'm not leaving. Then he'd kiss her and remain with the love of his life forever... But in every scenario he'd imagined where he could be the devoted husband, the kind of man she deserved, he had known it would never be._

_His Semblance could and had hurt people. He couldn't let it hurt her too._

_"I can't let you be hurt because of me," he whispered, his hand clutching the table so tight his knuckles were turning white._

_"Qrow..." he felt her hand rest against his forearm and jolted away like her touch had stung him._

_This time he was forced to look at her face._

_Her mouth downturned, brows peaked, and a heart wrenching shimmering in those brilliant silver eyes. It didn't feel like seven years since they'd met- it felt like a lifetime that they'd known each other. Qrow had spent so long wondering how he had lived seventeen years without knowing her at all and Summer had done the same._

_There was no questioning how much they meant to one another... and that was the reason Qrow was not allowing himself to be selfish at a cost too high to even think about._

_But seeing her like this..._

_"Summer... I..." what could he say? No matter what he did it would result in pain for them both. If he left, he knew there would be heartbreak, if he stayed he knew she would be hurt in so many different ways. There was no could about it. And then there was that terrifying ultimatum that could happen if she remained by his side._

_And even if it took forever, heartbreak could be overcome. So he thought._

_"It wasn't your fault," she whispered as she made one last desperate attempt to convince him to stay, "Qrow..."_

_His face twisted into a grimace at the memory of what had happened danced into his mind's eye. An innocent stranger, one simple moment of bad luck... and a body broken and bleeding out on the cold floor._

_And how would he react if time repeated itself and the next time it wasn't a stranger_ _? If the next time it was Summer who was broken with no hope of repair?_

_"You don't know that," he replied, his voice cold as he tried to keep his walls up._

_"No," she admitted, "but I know some things; I know that I can take care of myself, I know that I love you and I know that you love me."_

_"That's why I'm doing this," he whispered. "I love you, I always will, but I won't let you be hurt because of me!"_

_And with that he withdrew and stopped in the doorway seeing her staring at nothing in particular, her face blank save for the unshed tears. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't vocalise what he wanted to say, so he turned and left feeling as though he were breaking apart._

++++

Of course the moment had to end. And it was her who withdrew, though gently.

"Ironwood'll send the pass through," Qrow said after a pause, suddenly finding the cobblestones below their feet extremely fascinating, "should only be a few days. I could take you with me back home tonight...?"

Summer paused and considered it.

"No," she decided at last, "I'm being followed by people who believe Ozpin is dead, if he's alive, it's best that I don't lead them to him. I'll lead a false trail away from here and loop back so... two days?" she suggested and he nodded. "Don't worry-" she smiled, cupping his face with her hand. "I can take care of myself and if anything happens, I'll call you."

Qrow couldn't help but lean into her hand, closing his eyes and sighing with contentment under the touch of her cool fingers. His eyes opened glowing slightly with emotion.

"Two days," he promised, "and you better call me if something goes wrong."

"I will." Summer gave him another radiant smile that made his stomach flip.  "Thank you."

Her hand dropped from his face as he stepped back offering her one last smile before walking back to the car.  His head was giddy like a teenager with a crush.  He should know.

As he glanced back through the car window, he spotted Summer with her arm round the kid- Ruby.  A feeling of disappointment crossed him as he again wondered who the father was.  Of course, he chided himself, he had no right to think such things.  And he could hardly be jealous.  Wasn't that exactly what he had wanted for her when he left?  A chance for her to have a man she deserved, a family?  Of course it was.

But he couldn't say he was happy about it. 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Two achingly slow days eventually passed; two sleepless nights ended and Qrow began the preparations for his drive to collect Summer and her daughter. Oz, despite knowing nothing of the situation, seemed to already have guessed what was happening.

Albi eyed him as they ate breakfast that morning.

"I can smell the adrenaline on you," he stated frankly, "excited about something... or _someone_?"

Qrow gave him a glare across the table.

"I know you like to sleep around but are you really bringing one here?"

Albi didn't seem to notice the fiery glow that emanated from Qrow's eyes. He merely continued to pick at his food sniffing and cocking an eyebrow.

"So who's Summer Rose?" Albi smirked at Qrow's confused expression. "The old man mentioned it when I was giving him his painkillers, don't look so surprised. He seems glad. Old friend?" Another smirk. "Old lover?"

"Mind your own fucking business," Qrow snapped.

"So the latter then."

"I'm not above smashing this table across your face, you know. Now as I said; Mind your own fucking business."

Albi raised his hands in mock surrender and picked at his own breakfast. Qrow could feel the self righteous smugness radiating from the wiry Faunus in waves. It made Qrow want to punch him... _hard_.

When he had finished, he picked up his scythe and checked it over. Finally satisfied, he moved to the door.

"I'll be back in an hour or two, make sure you give Oz his dosage."

"Yes, Master," Albi muttered and Qrow slammed the door.

There was a small chime as a message came through on his scroll;

**Please hurry- Short-Stack**

The faintest of smiles ghosted his lips and he typed a response.

**On my way.**

Shoving the scroll in his back pocket, he got behind the wheel of the car and drove off.

~~~

Before he even saw the Inn, he knew something was wrong. Smoke was climbing into the sky on the horizon and there was a distinct orange hue ringing the blue of the sky.

The Gaia Inn was still on fire when he arrived. The whole village was.

Amidst the panic of people running and screaming, Qrow picked out White Fang members carrying blazing torches, firing weapons, slaughtering any humans they managed to grab ahold of- regardless of age.

Qrow grabbed his scythe and ran terrified towards the building, dread and nausea clawing its way up his throat. She couldn't still be in there he reasoned- more of a dumb hope than logic- she was smart she would've got out...

"STOP HER!" someone shouted, a White Fang member, from near the square.

Qrow swung his head round and breathed a sigh of almost relief. Summer was alive. Bloodied, bruised, singer but alive. Sniper-sword drawn, her other hand clenched in a fist as she was encircled by the White Fang- he couldn't see her daughter.

"Come on, Rose," one of the White Fang with a pair of impressive antlers shouted above the noise, "you can't keep fighting forever. You're on your own."

 _Wanna bet on that_ , Qrow thought and jumped into the fray using his shotgun to blast the Stag Faunus across the square.

Forty three masked faces and one pair of glittering silver eyes snapped round to look at him.

"Sorry did he want to say more?" Qrow asked sarcastically and moved to join Summer at the centre of the circle, "the kid?"

"I told her to run," she answer barely moving her lips, keeping her gaze trained on the White Fang circling them, "where have you been? I said ' _please hurry_ '!"

"Your text massage didn't specify that you were surrounded by White Fang members," Qrow huffed as they both stood back to back, "if you make that a little clearer next time, Short-Stack, I'll break more traffic laws to get here!" he cocked an eyebrow. "Also what happened to you losing them in two days?"

"Oh shut up-"

Without any warning, the first White Fang member let loose a poorly aimed shot that seemed to be the trigger for the rest of them to open fire. Qrow and Summer alternated between deflecting shots and providing return fire hoping to open a gap in the ranks they could escape through.

They fought as they always had done- fluidly, perfectly in sync.

Summer grabbed the wrist of one White Fang member twisting his wrist and slamming her elbow into his nose, she flipped him over her shoulder where Qrow delivered a swift broadsword slice to the face. He switched to scythe form and wrapped the curved blade around one member's waist swinging him into her path where she swept out his legs and plunged her sword into his stomach.

Though originally he had been semi-pissed about being dragged back into a fight, he found the thrilling rush he used to get from combat returning to him and, judging by the smirk on her lips, Summer was enjoying herself somewhat too.

Qrow crouched low on one knee swinging the scythe to tackle legs, Summer vaulted over him, jumping high to stick a sword through a mask that crumpled like paper mache and stained a gory red. The shapeshifter fired a shot at the next Fang Member who tried to take her out whilst delivering a back kick into the stomach of the Faunus behind him.

They jumped back so their backs were pressed against one another and he heard her breathless laugh.

"Just like old times," she remarked and he could imagine the jovial grin on her face.

"Just like old times!" he affirmed with a grin of his own and they plunged back into the fray.

Slash. Bang. Smash.

Qrow swung his scythe to the left.

Boom. Schnick. Slash.

Summer dodged an inclement blade and delivered a sharp blow to the White Fang Lieutenant who had entered the fight. Qrow recognised him, instead of the half masks that the White Fang usually wore, he donned a mask that covered his entire face. His hair was cut short and close to his scalp and Qrow couldn't tell what sort of Faunus he was.

His attention however, was more fixed upon the large chainsaw in his hands. The Lieutenant stood at least a shoulder above Qrow and the ease in which he carried the heavy weapon left the shapeshifter in no doubt that if he caught a blow from it his Aura would be seriously dented. And if Summer got hit by it...

He glanced at her watching her wipe some of the trickling blood out of her eyes. Her Aura was already gone. Sheer skill and survival instinct was all that was keeping her from serious injury.

Qrow prayed to every God he knew that his Semblance didn't make that happen.

As he looked at the Lieutenant, a flash of red caught his attention. His eyes flickered to the left and he spotted Ruby sneaking past in the midst of the distraction of their battle heading for his car. She moved quickly and silently drawing no other attention to herself despite the vividness of her cloak- clearly Summer had trained her well.

He noted the large red weapon attached behind her at her hips, similar to the way he carried his broadsword. Shaking the thought away he refocused on the Lieutenant. Other White Fang grunts had stepped back, some smirking as they let their Commander take the floor.

 


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

There was a long silence save both Qrow and Summer panting for breath and the steady whine of the chainsaw blade. Then the Lieutenant gestured to some of the dead Faunus around them pointed the blade in Qrow's general direction.

"Some of them used to look up to you, you know," he said in a heavily accented and a voice surprisingly void of the anger one might have expected behind such a statement, "Team STRQ." A low whistle. "Branwen and Rose..."

Qrow adjusted his grip on his weapon which had reverted to its broadsword form narrowing his eyes. Behind him he heard a small click as Summer cocked her sniper rifle as well as her somewhat ragged breath.

"But it seems idols can be disappointing."

That was the only warning Qrow got. The next second the Lieutenant had swung the chainsaw down- with surprising speed and ease despite its weight- towards his head. The shapeshifter barely managed to bring his broadsword up in time to deflect the blow feeling the blade jerk in his hands in lieu with the spinning blade it was pressed against. Qrow gritted his teeth as the Lieutenant pressed down with astonishing strength almost forcing the older man to his knees as the other Faunus jeered around them.

" _Qrow!_ "

He heard her cry and then the shot. The dust cartridge smacked into the chainsaw with incredible accuracy, the fiery explosion blasting the blade away from Qrow's who, in turn, was also knocked back by the blast. His Aura rippled but held; it was close to falling though, he could feel that. A twinge of panic struck him as he watched Summer engage the Lieutenant dealing quick strikes and twisting to avoid the blade.

_Just one wrong move..._

His stomach turned at the thought. She had no Aura, just one misstep and she would be sliced in two. Forcing himself upright he moved back into the fray whilst his eyes constant,y scanned the crowd around them searching for a way to cut through and escape. Summer delivered a swipe to the Lieutenant's legs, whilst Qrow intercepted the chainsaw blade that was aimed for her neck with his sword. Instead of resisting, the Lieutenant merely removed one hand from the chainsaw- which he brought up again and snatched Summer up by the hair. Qrow heard her pained yell and felt a foot kick him far backwards.

There was a loud bang and something crashed into him hard; Summer.

Her gun handle was smoking and the Lieutenant was picking himself up amongst other Faunus who had been bowled over like bowling pins. It was a gap in the crowd. Qrow grabbed Summer's arm and the pair ran for the new opening before the others could get to their feet.

Halfway to their intended destination and the rest of the White Fang opened fire. Qrow spun the broadsword in his hands using the blade to deflect most of the shots back into the crowd whilst Summer provided return fire to breakaway.

"Leave him! Get her!"

Qrow fired his shotgun at the core of the Lieutenant who was charging after them. His waistcoat singed but the shot went wide due to Qrow stumbling as he aimed. He spotted Ruby crouched behind the boot of the limo holding her red weapon- a gun of some kind from what he could see- tightly in her hands, her silver eyes narrowed in an unspoken fury.

"Ruby! Get in!" Summer cried even as the girl fired at the White Fang members with an accuracy that made Qrow whistle impressed.

She was a crack shot.

Summer grabbed her daughter by the arm and pulled her back towards the car throwing open the door and pushing her inside. A cartridge whistled passed Qrow burying itself in the car door as he went to the driver side. Half turning, he saw the Lieutenant holding a hand gun clearly borrowed from a grunt with a clumsiness that betrayed his unfamiliarity with a firearm. Nevertheless, his aim wasn't far off the mark and just one lucky shot would be all it would take from any of the Faunus terrorists.

Qrow put the car in gear and began speeding down the road praying none of the bullets hit the tires as Summer finally closed the back door to block some of the bullets hailing on both her and her daughter. In the wing mirror Qrow saw the Lieutenant standing with clenched fists slowly getting smaller as they drove away. He imagined that the Faunus was glaring.

"Good with a chainsaw, bad with a gun," he quipped to Summer, with a shakiness to his voice that his humour couldn't quite mask, "I am sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"It's okay..." but her voice sounded distracted and somewhat strained.

He frowned keeping his eyes on the road and resisting the urge to look into the backseat.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fi-"

There was a sharp gasp from Ruby that made Qrow snap his head round. His red eyes widened even as his face drained of its colour.

A small patch of red was blossoming from Summer's abdomen and blood was spilling through her fingers.

" _Shit_."

"Not so bad with that gun, huh?" she offered weakly in a poor attempt to at humour to try and defuse the situation.

Qrow ignored the attempt and tried to keep his eyes on the road whilst speaking to Ruby.

"Hey, kid!" his voice was tight with panic, "under the seat back there, first aid kit, that's all there's going to be until we get back. Just hang on, alright, Shortstack?"

There was some scrabbling and in the rear view mirror he spotted Ruby pulling the green bag onto her lap rummaging through it frantically, her brows peaked and lips chewed with fear. Summer was trying to stroke her daughter's shoulder to reassure her but it clearly wasn't working.

"Keep pressure on the wound!" he threw in feeling helpless as he was bound to the driver's seat unable to help Summer as she bled out behind him, "there should be painkillers in there somewhere-"

"Qrow-"

"Don't speak, just- just- just hang on, okay?! I'm going as fast as I can!"

~~~~

Albi was sat on the outside wall smoking when Qrow pulled up. He looked surprised to see him there as Qrow frantically threw open the back door to the limousine.

"I thought you'd be gone longer-"

"We need bandages, anything you've got," Qrow shot back, ignoring the Faunus.

"What-?" His eyes widened as Qrow helped Summer out, her arm around his shoulder, his hand pressing her's to her abdomen. "Shit..."

Her skin was already drawn. The girl, Ruby tried to help support her mother on the other side but Albi quickly stepped in.

"Get her inside, Ozpin's in there," Albi was explaining as Ruby hurried behind them, chewing her lip worriedly, silver eyes glistening, "we can put her on the couch, I know we've got some painkillers somewhere-"

By now they were inside. Ozpin looked up startled and his initial smile of greeting was quickly washed away when he glimpsed Summer's condition.

"Qrow, Summer-!" he began.

Summer raised her head towards him and blinked slowly.

"Right... so you weren't lying about, Oz then," she noted, her voice sightly hazy.

"You thought I was?" Qrow huffed, slightly offended as he and Albi lowered her down onto the couch.

She shrugged and winced regretting it instantly. Albi began ransacking the shelves and drawers to find medication and bandages whilst Qrow kept pressure on the wound. The limousine seats were already stained a red that would forever be a stain. Ruby slipped in between the two members of Team STRQ to grab her mother's other hand her eyes shimmering. Qrow wanted to apologise ... but how?

_It was his fault._

His Semblance. His misfortune... If only he had arrived sooner.

Albi rushed over and Qrow reluctantly stepped back to allow the Faunus room to work. Ozpin wheeled himself over to see his former student better.

"What happened?" he asked Qrow, his green eyes firmly watching over the injured SEW.

"White Fang," the shapeshifter answered, "we were surrounded... the Lieutenant..." he swallowed trying to clear the lump in his throat, "I think- I think he got her..."

"Hey, kid," Albi said turning his attention to Ruby, with a surprisingly gentle tone given his often crass and blunt nature, "I'm going to need some space here, so I find you want your... mother?" he glanced at Qrow who gave a short nod. "If you want your mother to get better I'm going to need you to step back a bit, okay?"

Ruby gave a small sniff but stepped back when her mother gave a faint nod. Qrow glanced at her. She was stood very still staring at her mother with wide silver eyes that were beginning to shed the tears she had been holding back. Qrow opened his mouth and closed it again.

_What could he say?_

Ozpin wheeled over to Ruby and smiled at her reassuringly.

"Do you want something to eat?" The young SEW tore her eyes away from her mother to look at the former Headmaster of Beacon, "your mother's going to be fine, but you must be hungry, we've got plenty of food."

Hesitation passed over the girl's face but eventually she followed behind Ozpin shuffling away, constantly glancing back towards her mother. Qrow watched as Albi began sewing the bullet wound closed giving Qrow a tiny, private glance nodding to the corner. Qrow and Albi moved towards it.

"The wound's pretty deep," Albi explained, "I've patched it up as best I can, but she needs hospital treatment."

Qrow nodded.

"Okay."

"Thing is, moving her's going to be tricky. She's already lost a lot of blood, I'm afraid moving her could rip the stitches or cause more internal bleeding."

Qrow stared in disbelief.

"Then what exactly do you expect me to do?!" he demanded.

"I'll try and prepare her as best as I can for a journey," Albi sighed, "the nearest hospital is miles away, I'll do my best."

Qrow nodded and moved to the table. Ruby was sat with Ozpin who was eyeing her curiously as she wolfed down a large amount of cereal from a bowl giving Qrow a sceptical look as he approached. Her gaze returned to Ozpin who nodded assuringly.

"Eat as much as you want. You're safe now."  Ruby's eyes shifted to Qrow curiously and Ozpin nodded.  "This is Qrow, he was in the same team as your mother."  Ruby glanced between Qrow and where Albi was tending to Summer.

"She's going to be fine," Qrow told her, trying to sound reassuring, "... Ruby."

The girl's eyebrows peaked but there was a relieved look in her large silver eyes.  There was something oddly familiar about her, certain slights to her features that she must have inherited from her father- whoever that may be- that Qrow couldn't put his finger on.  His only logical conclusion was that Ruby's father was someone he had met before.  That struck him in a strikingly painful way.

Qrow moved away from Ruby and headed for the door.  He needed some fresh air.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is very AU. The time scale is different from the show so Ruby is about eleven when the story takes place but Qrow is around the same age as he is in the show.


End file.
